The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to recognise Uche Nwole as its duly elected candidate for the Imo East Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, directing the party to immediately submit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The judgment, delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar, followed a suit instituted by Nwole against the NDC, INEC and Hon. Uchechukwu Onyeagucha.
The court affirmed that Nwole won the party’s senatorial primary election conducted under INEC’s supervision, holding that the exercise complied with Sections 84(1) and (2), as well as Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026.
Consequently, Justice Umar directed INEC to accept, enlist and publish Nwole’s name in the final list of candidates for the Imo East Senatorial District election.
The judge also issued a perpetual injunction restraining the NDC from submitting or nominating any other person as its candidate for the seat.
Similarly, INEC was barred from accepting, listing or publishing the name of any other person purportedly presented by the party as its candidate on the basis of a primary election that was neither conducted nor monitored by the electoral commission.
The court further restrained INEC from recognising any purported consensus candidate whose nomination contravened Sections 87(1) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2026.
In its reasoning, the court held that the NDC had conducted a primary election for aspirants seeking its ticket for the Imo East senatorial seat, with INEC monitoring the process.
Justice Umar ruled that having conducted the primary, the party could not subsequently abandon its outcome and nominate a consensus candidate for the same position.
The court also found that Nwole fulfilled all statutory requirements to participate in the party’s direct primary and emerge as its candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The judgment effectively invalidates Onyeagucha’s claim to the NDC ticket and affirms Nwole as the party’s candidate for Imo East.
